I have no intention of ever criticising you for the way that you enjoy the game. That was never my intention. I try not to criticise either, after all, those who make a living from the game know far more about the game than I will ever know. I just enjoy the game in a different way, and I am eager to know more about it. Part of the reason that I write Minority Report stuff is to attract debate as part of that learning process.
This thread warms the cockles of my heart! From tactics to motivation to confidence to coaching philosophies to Norman Dean and Frank Sharp and Les Lea. These posts bring us right bang centre into not only our current day thinking on football. They also take us down Memory Lane and I think thats the reason youre getting this added contribution from me. I want to introduce another element into the mix by referencing fandom and the sentiments which go with it.....sorry RR....not intending to derail the tactical talk. ...I often say and think that there is nothing else on this planet that comes close (apart from my family) to that feeling of watching 11 players on that pitch at Oakwell trying to win a football match. There is nowhere else in our home town where 10000 plus people get together and want the same thing for 90 minutes every other week. it still makes me feel like the little boy whose Dad and Grandad took him down there with a beer crate to stand on and watch as we played Everton in the FA Cup 3rd round in the early sixties. I post this now because we have a game tomorrow and I know we all want the same thing. From Red Rains deep insight into tactics to Taffs argument that there are other factors which affect performance etc etc......we are all bound by that unexplainable umbilical cord, tying us to this club and town. This foeum is a great thing. I / we have the chance to share our thoughts in a way that would have been inconceivable in years gone by; but now we can and for that I am v thankful. cheers....time for another gin and tonic. COYR!!!!
I sit in the East Stand Upper Tier. Before that I stood on the terrace and before that, I stood in front of the old scoreboard. Moving to the East Stand Upper Tier was a revelation, and I heartily recommend it for any student of the game. Everything happens below you, as if on a Subbuteo table and that overall view of what is happening has opened my eyes to the subtleties of the game. I know that those who sit behind the goals do so for different reasons, but they really do not know what is happening from their end on view point. I know that because of all the years that I spent on the Kop. In my opinion, there are just two things that are important when watching our sport. The first is a view from above and from the side. The second is an open mind. With those two, your eyes are bound to be opened.
Perhaps a wave from your lofty position to we peasants below at half time, M'Lord? More seriously, Les Lea looks as though he could still play!
I've watched from up there a bunch of times, but my mates congregate in the East Stand Lower, by coincidence roughly where I used to stand in the Brewery stand. I quite like being a bit closer to the pitch to see player reactions & challenges from closer quarters, but I agree for seeing the overall game plan it is a great view. I'm sure others prefer the Ponty for the atmosphere. As we can't all sit in the same place it is probably a good thing!